On Bloody Sundays
by wonderstance
Summary: The story of a stoic boy and the girl who learned to look past the blood on his hands.
1. Prologue

_Prologue_

* * *

Once upon a time, there was a girl.

She was a princess, _so to speak_ , and unfortunately, Itachi turned out to be the furthest thing from a prince.

If he really tried, he could've been her knight take away the shining armor. But he couldn't deny the fact that he had blood on his hands.

Maybe, in another life, they might've ended up together and had their own happily ever after. But it wouldn't be any time soon and he was beginning to believe that it probably wouldn't ever be in this lifetime.

A sad smile formed on his lips when he came to this realization. Silly pipe dreams. They were the only things he could cling to, in the end.

"We have to go, Itachi."

The young shinobi stood up, his indifferent crimson eyes glazing over the Uchiha compound one last time, "Give me five minutes."

Tobi's patience seemed to be wearing thin. But silently—and as if nothing had happened at all—he vanished.

* * *

Konohagakure had always been home to Uchiha Itachi.

Most of the time, after a long expedition or mission, he usually felt a sense of relief on the return journey. It'd taken a considerable amount of effort for him to come to terms with the reality of the situation—the fact that he'd have to leave the village forever tonight. And maybe this wasn't such a difficult decision in the grand scheme of things. But Itachi knew better than anyone that it was always the supposedly unobtrusive things that were the most disappointing.

To this day, even walking down the main road alone gave Itachi a sense of comfort. The familiarity of the sights, the warmth of the wind, and the sound of the cicadas managed to distract him, only temporarily, from the crimes he'd committed.

Footsteps were heading in his direction.

Someone was running. He could hear the echo of steps against the pavement. But Itachi didn't even need to turn around to see who it was.

"Itachi-kun!"

The secret Princess of Konoha, or some silly derivative of it.

Karasu certainly didn't look the part.

Long, dark hair pulled into some sad semblance of a ponytail. Wide, curious, _black_ eyes, as dark as night. She was the furthest thing from graceful, stumbling over her own two feet on completely flat concrete. That must've been some sort of feat in itself. Had it not been for the morbidity of the situation, Itachi might've even laughed.

Instinctively, he reached out a hand to help her up, but he snapped himself out of the habit as he came to the realization that he would no longer be _that_ person for her. The watchful guardian, the silent protector.

Instead, she pushed herself off the ground, her kneecaps cut up from the fall. The injuries made Itachi cringe. After all, he'd spent years of his life by her side, preventing any danger.

And now, they stood on opposite ends of the spectrum. Standing across from one another on the main road in complete and utter silence.

She stared at him, curiously, "A-Are you okay?"

The question made him want to laugh.

He had just slaughtered his entire clan. Killed his parents. Traumatized his younger brother. Severed ties with the one and only place he could call home. A laundry list of his sins wouldn't even _begin_ to span the diameter of Konoha. He'd be branded as the village's renegade. Konoha's most unexpected traitor.

This was the life he chose. A life of solitude and silence.

Not that Karasu would know. Not yet, anyway. She'd probably find out when she woke up tomorrow morning.

But still. She was asking—she was **asking** if he was okay. In spite of it all, Itachi wanted to laugh.

That was the problem with Karasu, in the end.

She believed in people too much. She just wasn't the kind of girl who thought twice about anything.

When they first met, she told him flatly that she believed that everyone had the capacity to be good.

' _I honestly think all people have good intentions_ ,' was what she said to him, ' _if you write off someone as bad because it's convenient for you to justify your hatred for them, then you're just limiting yourself from understanding them_.'

The worst part was he could tell she genuinely meant it.

"Do you still think I'm a good person?" He said flatly.

He wasn't sure why he was asking. Maybe part of him just wanted to be reassured what he was doing was right. Maybe part of him just wanted to know out of sheer curiosity. Maybe part of him was trying to savor these last few moments in Konoha before he had to leave forever. Maybe he was being selfish. At this point, he didn't care.

"Yes," Karasu replied firmly, refusing to lower her gaze.

It was a decisive answer. He could tell she meant it.

 _Of course_ she meant it.

She was the kind of girl who had a tendency to tangle herself in the messy politics in Konoha, so he really shouldn't have been surprised she was here. Karasu could always tell something was wrong without actually knowing exactly what it was. It must've been some intuitive gift, in a way.

It probably wasn't her intention to show up here tonight at all, and half of Itachi's heart knew that it was partially his own mistake for not being more careful around her. But doing the right thing always looked clearer in retrospect. He knew that now, but it was still difficult for him to accept. In the end, he couldn't help but be a little selfish.

He wanted to know that someone still cared about him, as a person, and not as the treacherous _caricature_ he'd become someday.

Itachi's gaze lingered on Karasu only for a moment before he turned around and started down the main road. The longer he stayed here, the more he might've regretted it.

"Itachi-kun…"

She struggled to keep up with his quick pace, breaking into a run in order to catch up to him.

When he didn't stop, she grabbed him by the hand.

He hesitated, almost.

Karasu's hand was warm. _Soft_. The hands of a girl who hadn't seen the front end of a kunai or shuriken before.

 _Hands of purity_ , or whatever the hell that meant. It fit in with the whole princess thing she had going on.

"Just…listen to me."

Because he had nothing to lose at this point, he decided to give into his curiosity and wait.

Karasu was staring at the ground, cheeks tinged the faintest shade of pink, "You never tell me anything…you never tell me anything even though I want to help you."

There was nothing she could do. Why should he involve her in something that could ruin her? She was just being naïve. Karasu could've had the best intentions, but her best intentions would never be enough. That was the unfortunate truth.

From here, she looked up and met his gaze, "I think that somewhere along the line, something bad happened. And you were faced with something really difficult. Maybe you didn't know what to do, but I think…I think you made the right decision."

She was hitting so close to home.

Maybe she wasn't as ignorant as he initially believed. Maybe she _did_ know. He humored himself with the thought before shaking it off. There was no way she knew. Not the full extent, anyway.

"I think you're a good person. No matter what you've done. I have faith in you. And I always will. No matter what," she shot him a strained smile. "I just think you might be stuck right now. I think you might be in a bad situation where you don't really have a choice."

Karasu probably didn't understand half of the things she was saying. At least, that's what he was telling himself.

Because from the hints she was dropping, she could've known the entire situation up to this point.

Everything from the Uchiha's plan for a coup, Danzo's request, and the mission that Itachi was sent on by the Hokage. Everything she'd just stated alluded to it. But the thing is, there was no way she could've known. There was no way she could've known the truth and continue trying to _justify_ his behavior. That would just make her crazy.

Right?

"I love you," she said, almost breathlessly, "I want to be with you. To make you happy. To take care of you."

It occurred to Itachi that he could probably kill her right then and there. It would be easy enough. A simple snap of the neck would probably do it. Humans were so easy to kill, and they were even easier to forget about.

Except, he couldn't. Not that he would. She was the closest thing to being Konoha's secret treasure, after all. And he was just a pawn in the grand scheme of things.

Karasu was a simple girl, and whatever she did never fell under an ulterior motive. She was too naïve. And she had this grandiose delusion of believing in all the people around her, disregarding the danger that came with blind trust. Maybe she thought she could be a hero—but to Itachi, she was just a simple, _stupid_ girl with an affinity for hopelessness.

He'd never admit it aloud, but it was almost endearing.

"I love you," she repeated, the tears streaming down the side of her face. "Isn't that…isn't that enough?"

The wind picked up. She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, and bit her lower lip.

"I could kill you," Itachi looked at his hands—then back at her. "If you're not wise, I will."

Karasu blinked. Twice.

Her grip tightened on his hand, "Why do you always lie to me?"

And then.

"Why don't you ever let me in?" She said, "Why do you keep everything to yourself? You're _hurting_ yourself, you idiot!"

She was crying.

"I'm…not the same as you," said Itachi, looking up at the sky. "You don't understand. I'm heading down a road you can't follow."

Karasu narrowed her eyes, "Then take me with you."

Only silence that followed.

Itachi would be lying if he said he didn't consider it. Because he did.

The options were laid out for him. And yes—he considered taking her, at some point. He let his imagination run wild because he was selfish. _Selfish_ because this was the girl he could see himself marrying years down the line. When it came down to it, she was the only one who really believed in him, even after Shisui passed away.

She was the only one who trusted him when nobody else did.

"If you can't," she breathed. "Let's run away together."

"..."

" _Please_ ," the tears streamed down her face. "We can run away from this place."

He considered it.

Considered it, because he was being selfish. Considered it, because he wanted to believe there was a better future for him out there somewhere. Considered it, because this could've been his life if he was just an average civilian. A nobody.

But not in this lifetime.

In the end, Karasu was the only person who still cared about him, even if he was just a simple pawn in Danzo's game.

But Itachi wasn't stupid. Pipe dreams were all he had, in the end.

He whipped his hand out of her grasp.

"If you go, I'll scream!"

Suddenly, he side-stepped and vanished, reappearing behind her.

Itachi exhaled against the back of her neck and watched in mild fascination as she flinched.

The truth is, she made him feel good.

Karasu reminded him about the little bit of humanity that was left inside him. If he ever had any humanity in himself to begin with.

It was the kind of thing that fit in with her whole mantra, her whole philosophy.

 _People have good intentions_. _Don't you think so, Itachi-kun_?

After Shishui passed away, he was alone. He didn't have his clan; and he certainly didn't have the village. Itachi started to doubt himself. It was only natural, considering the circumstances.

But Karasu made him feel right about himself. She was his little bit of reassurance, in his world of self-denial and hatred.

She breathed deeply, "I know what you did tonight."

Itachi paused.

He clenched his fists, unable to make sense of this _stupid_ girl.

She _knew_ and she still considered him a good person. She _knew_ and she still wanted to be with him.

"But I know who you are," she stated firmly, "and I haven't changed my mind about you."

She was always so vulnerable. So easy to take advantage of. But she was being stubborn tonight, something surprisingly uncharacteristic of her. Maybe this was a side of her he'd yet to learn about—it made him reflect on the fact that he'd probably never see this part of her again after this.

But.

For the first time in a long time, Itachi smiled while a single tear rolled down the side of his cheek, "Thank you."


	2. Karasu

_Chapter 1_ : Karasu

* * *

"Congratulations on your inauguration into the most prestigious shinobi program in the world," stated Utatane Koharu, the lone female elder remaining on the panel.

The wrinkles in the corner of her eyes darkened as a wry smile formed on her face. "Welcome to the _Anbu_. I look forward to working with each and every one of you."

Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui stood near the back of the conference room, staring up at the old woman standing behind the podium. Although it'd already been a few years since Itachi had upgraded his title from Chunin to Jounin, the feeling of receiving a new title was still exciting for him. He glanced over at Shisui, who apparently couldn't hide the complete and utter _boredom_ written all over his face.

"If you have any further questions, please consult Karasu," Utatane Koharu continued, motioning to the dark-haired girl standing at the other end of the room. "Otherwise, you're dismissed."

A cacophony of chatter erupted in the conference room while Koharu turned around, giving Karasu a curt nod before exiting through the backdoor. The young girl from the end of the room took to the podium, adjusting the microphone slightly before looking down at the crowd with a smile on her face.

By that time, most of the shinobi in the room had elected to leave. Only a few remained, heading directly up onto the stage in order to converse with the girl in private.

"Let's go, Shisui," said Itachi, pushing open the door.

There was no response.

When Itachi looked over, he found the empty space where his partner should've been. A tick mark of irritation formed on the side of his face. Shifting his gaze to the stage, he watched in mild distaste as Shisui introduced himself to the dark-haired girl named Karasu. She was smiling warmly at him, gesturing emphatically with her small hands. Shisui laughed.

"The program's holding a small get-together for some of the new _Anbu_ recruits tonight," she said with a smile. "An all expense paid dinner at the barbeque restaurant nearby. You should come."

Shisui sighed softly, the corners of his lips tipping up to form a boyish smile, "I wasn't planning to, but since you're being so insistent, I guess I'll have to."

Karasu laughed, "I think we might have different definitions of what _insistent_ means, Shisui-san."

Between the two Uchiha clansmen, Shisui had always been more outgoing. It came as no surprise that he'd be invited to more social gatherings. Although Itachi didn't care for the latter, he felt slightly peeved that it took his elder cousin almost no effort to integrate himself into this new chapter of his life. After all, from the stories he'd heard from his father, their transition from jounin to _Anbu_ wouldn't be easy.

Shisui might've proven that theory otherwise.

"You should come too, Itachi-san," Karasu stated suddenly.

At once, he snapped out of his train of thought, shifting his gaze to the girl at the podium with the warm smile on her face.

She knew his name, which probably shouldn't have been a surprise, since she had been there since the start of the induction ceremony. Still, he was surprised that she managed to remember his name, considering the number of shinobi that had been in attendance—some more famous than others.

"Oi, _Itachi_ ," Shisui stated, leaning against the podium with one elbow, a look of irritation on his face. "Are you gonna answer or what?"

When he came to his senses, Itachi shook his head, "I can't."

"That's fine," Shisui's initial look of contempt melted into a smile. "Karasu-chan and I will have a great time ourselves."

"With the other people from the _Anbu_ orientation," Karasu added. "Everyone is really looking forward to it."

Shisui and Itachi grew up together in the Uchiha compound.

Although the former was a hard worker, he refused to admit the amount of actual effort he put in to even get into the _Anbu_. There was something sexy and _suave_ about being a supposed lazy genius, and the girls in the Uchiha compound fell for the act almost too easily, fawning over him like vultures. Shisui had no problem reciprocating their gestures of love, and these mindless flirtations managed to distract him temporarily from the grim reality of his line of work.

At least, that was what Itachi surmised. It certainly pointed that way. That was probably why he was flirting with _this_ girl now.

 _Karasu_. She didn't seem like she was reciprocating Shisui's casual advances, but it also seemed like she didn't really understand he was trying to flirt with her in the first place.

"Itachi-san?" She said, cocking her head to the side almost endearingly. "Are you coming? It should be a fun."

"I'm…busy," Itachi decided to say after a tentative silence.

"Oh yeah?" Shisui snorted, looking incredulously at his younger cousin. "What're you so busy with?"

A fierce blush formed on Itachi's cheeks, but he managed to stay composed, shifting his gaze away from the girl standing in front of him, "Sasuke's graduating today."

It was a white lie.

Technically, Sasuke would be graduating tomorrow, but Itachi figured there was no harm done considering the circumstances. The last place he wanted to be was a social gathering. Knowing Shisui's innate talent as a social butterfly, Itachi would probably be left alone to his own devices. _Again_.

"Oh, that's today?" Karasu piped up, a smile forming on her lips. "I should go too, then. Ino-chan is in the same class."

 _Damn_ , thought Itachi bitterly to himself.

"Karasu-chan," Shisui said with almost a whine. "I thought we were going to get barbeque together."

The young girl smiled apologetically, brushing a lock of long black hair behind her ear, "I promised Ino-chan I'd come see her at graduation to bring her a bouquet of flowers."

"I…was mistaken," Itachi interjected suddenly. "The graduation ceremony is taking place tomorrow."

A look of surprise dawned on Shisui's face. But that look of surprise immediately faded into a frown, " _Oi_. What's your deal, Itachi?"

"That's great, then!" Karasu beamed, her initial look of confusion fading away instantly. She seemed to have taken Itachi's white lie with no qualms. "That means you can make it to the barbeque tonight."

…

…

…

"I suppose so," replied Itachi stiffly.

After Karasu managed to out him so quickly, Itachi had no time to think of a better excuse.

It was only then that he managed to rack his brain for ideas. He could've said his parents wanted him home for dinner, he could've mentioned promising to spar with Sasuke, and he could've even said he had no business in going at all. But of course, the window of opportunity had since passed, so he was left here in his complacency once again.

"I'm really glad you both can come," she said to them. "I have to go answer a few more questions for the other members here, but I'll see you two tonight."

"You bet," Shisui winked, saluting her with two fingers. "See you, Karasu-chan."

Itachi remained silent, heading towards the exit while Shisui followed from behind.

Once they were out of hearing range, Itachi asked, "Karasu- _chan_? Since when did you get so familiar with her?"

"Since now," Shisui replied airily, letting out a sigh of satisfaction. "She's pretty cute, don't you think?"

"You shouldn't address people you don't know so familiarly. It's impolite," Itachi stated calmly. "They'll get the wrong idea."

The duo turned the corner of the hallway and headed down the main staircase of the capital building. The light from the exit filtered in a good distance away.

"Lighten up, Itachi," Shisui stated, wrinkling his nose. "It's not a big deal."

"You're saying your mindless flirtation isn't a big deal?" Itachi asked, slightly indignant. "You might be working for her in the future. It would suit you to act more professional."

"Listen here, baby cousin," Shisui said with a small smile. "In life—"

 _Great. Another one of his long lectures_ , Itachi scowled, stepping out of the building while sunlight hit him from above.

"—you don't have many years to enjoy yourself, especially in your youth. It passes by just like this," Shisui snapped his fingers emphatically. "Learn to let go and enjoy yourself while you still can."

* * *

After arriving home, Itachi was greeted by Sasuke—who'd attempted to send a flying kick to his head.

Without much effort, Itachi managed to catch his younger brother by the ankle, throwing him gently against the wooden floorboard. Sasuke landed with a light _thump_ that followed with a soft groan.

"Ninja do not cry out when they make a surprise attack," Itachi started to say, kneeling down to observe his incapacitated younger brother. "Why don't you try being more discreet? The idea is to surprise your opponent—not give them time to retaliate."

The younger Uchiha replied with a groan, turning onto his side, his gaze meeting Itachi's. He shot a glare at his elder brother, his hands wrapped around his stomach like he'd been hit in the gut, "Welcome home, nii-san."

Even though Sasuke had spoken with vehemence, Itachi decided to reply kindly, "Thank you, Sasuke."

"Are you coming to my graduation ceremony tomorrow?" he asked, sitting up.

Itachi crouched down and took a seat next to his younger brother, letting his legs hang off the ledge.

The ceremony was tomorrow. Itachi was hoping he could get some training in. But he figured it wouldn't be a big deal if he missed one day. After all, how often would he get to see his younger brother graduate?

"Of course," Itachi replied.

"Do you think Tou-san will come?" Sasuke asked eagerly.

Itachi paused. With a small smile, he asked, "Isn't your older brother enough?"

Sasuke pouted.

* * *

"We're here!"

Itachi and Shisui entered the barbeque restaurant. The smell of fried pork permeated the air.

Nearly fifty shinobi were seated inside the restaurant, and at least half of them were drinking sake. It didn't come as any surprise, considering the fact that this was a "get-together" and alcohol was humankind's greatest social lubricant.

"Wow, it's packed," said Shisui, rubbing his nose. "Ah—Karasu-chan!"

It turned out the girl standing by one of the nearby tables wasn't a waitress, like Itachi first assumed.

"Shisui-san! Itachi-san!" Karasu greeted, leaving the table she was standing in front of and heading over to the front entrance. "I'm glad you both came. I'll show you to an empty table!"

From there, she led them to a table farther back—empty, like she said. It seemed they arrived too late to the party to join in on the festivities. But Itachi preferred it this way. If he could choose between a rowdy party and a quiet setting, he'd choose the latter. Since his preference wasn't available now that he was here, he made due with what was presented to him.

"Did you choose this table just to get closer to me, Karasu-chan?" asked Shisui with a grin.

"Actually, it's because we're too young to drink," Karasu admitted with a sheepish smile, motioning to the groups of huddled men, laughing over their sake. "Embarrassingly enough, this is the children's table."

"Children?" Shisui wrinkled his nose. "That's going too far."

Itachi took a seat on Karasu's left, halfheartedly expecting Shisui to follow suit. But Shisui being _Shisui_ decided to take the seat on the right, never quite missing a beat. She was wedged in the middle, but considering her small frame, it didn't seem to be a problem.

He grinned, "So what've you been up to, Karasu-chan?"

"Taking care of the people who showed up," she said, "taking notes, and keeping track of—oh fantastic. Our food is here!"

Plates and plates of colorful raw were brought over by the waiter, alongside a number of plated vegetables and small cooked dishes.

"I already ordered for us," Karasu said. "I hope you enjoy it."

"Of course we will," said Shisui, beaming. "You ordered it. How could we not?"

"If you don't mind me asking," Itachi interjected suddenly. "What exactly do you do?"

Both Shisui and Karasu glanced over. The former was wearing a scowl and the latter was wearing a smile. Anxiously, Karasu fiddled with her hair, brushing a lock behind her ear, "I work for Utatane-sama."

"The village elder?" Itachi asked. "The one at our inauguration."

"Yes," Karasu nodded. "I'm her assistant."

"Karasu-chan~" Shisui sang, grabbing the pair of tongs at the end of the table. "Let's start cooking!"

It occurred to Itachi, at some point, that she was probably around his age. Itachi was an anomaly—always hailed as a child prodigy, and maybe Shisui was as well—but she might've only been thirteen.

 _Thirteen_ , and working already. _Why isn't she in school_? Itachi wondered quietly to himself. _And why is someone so young working as the personal assistant to one of the village elders_?

"How old are you?" asked Itachi, interrupting the conversation between Shisui and Karasu.

She looked perplexed, but still, she reciprocated with a warm smile, "Thirteen, Itachi-san."

Thirteen. Thirteen, like Itachi expected.

He decided to continue, "Do you work full-time?"

"Just part time," Karasu replied. "I go to school during the day, and head to work in the afternoon."

"I see."

" _Oi_." Shisui propped one elbow on the table filled with food and snapped his chopsticks in a threatening manner. "You're being really random with your questions, Itachi. Something on your mind?"

"I'm sure he's just tired after a long day," Karasu offered anxiously. Then, she looked over to Itachi reassuringly, "It's all right if you just want to relax. It might've been my fault for pushing you to come tonight."

"Ne, _ne_ —don't worry about him. Itachi is always cranky," said Shisui, picking up a piece of cooked beef and placing it onto Karasu's plate. "Let's just enjoy ourselves and eat."

* * *

By the time dinner was over, the restaurant had emptied out. Pulling out a manila envelope from her bag, Karasu walked to the front desk to pay the bill.

It was difficult for Itachi to stomach much. His initial plan was to spend the dinner in silence so he could contemplate and digest his thoughts. But it didn't help that Karasu had constantly tried to engage him in conversation with Shisui—trying to "include" him in a social setting.

It was nice of her, but it was also a wasted effort. Once Itachi set himself on a plan, he usually stuck to it.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

"Here you go."

In front of eyes was a grocery bag.

"I ordered you a toasted sandwich and soda to take home," said Karasu with a smile. "I noticed you didn't eat much tonight."

Stupefied by the random act of generosity, Itachi accepted the token and placed it in his lap. He looked up at her and opened his mouth to thank her, but at that time, Shisui walked back from the bathroom, stretching his arms out wide, "Let's get out of here. Seems like they're closing up soon."

Karasu shifted her gaze and nodded, "Actually—"

" **You ready to go**?"

Itachi was startled by the fact that he'd managed to completely _miss_ someone's presence.

A teenager with choppy gray hair manifested from behind the divider that separated the front desk from the tables. A sleek blue mask covered half of his face while the Konoha headband covered his left eye.

Hatake Kakashi.

This must've been why Itachi felt something off. That must've been why he found it difficult to stomach anything during the entire dinner. There had been someone watching him. Watching _them_. His next instinct was to look over to Shisui to gauge some kind of reaction. But from the look on his face, it seemed like he knew all along that Hatake Kakashi had been there.

"Actually, Kakashi-kun is supposed to walk me home," Karasu stated with a sheepish smile.

Kakashi- _kun_. That meant she was familiar with him. From the look of things, they seemed to make an odd pair. The relationship between the two seemed easy-going and platonic enough. So it only made Itachi wonder why an older shinobi would have anything to do with a young girl like Karasu.

The gray-haired ninja propped his elbow on top of her head, leaning against her, "Before you two start wondering, it's because she was robbed recently. I've been hired to escort her home at night."

It seemed to take Karasu a moment to process this.

Itachi noticed that her eyes widened slightly before she averted her gaze to her feet. "That's right," she managed to utter quietly.

All the signs of a bad liar. He almost felt sorry for her.

"That's something I could do too. I'm from the _Anbu_ ," Shisui said with a boyish grin. He pointed at himself with his own thumb. "You can take the night off, if you want, Hatake-san."

Kakashi stuck his pinky finger into his ear, closing his visible eye, "I don't think I'll be doing that. So—shall we, Karasu?"

Karasu bowed slightly, putting on an apologetic smile, "Sorry. Goodbye Shisui-san. Itachi-san."

The two departed the restaurant.

Once they were out of sight, Shisui turned to Itachi, a smile forming on his face, "You sensed him too, right?"

Itachi glanced at the bag of food that Karasu had offered him earlier, "Yes."

"Wonder why they need to hire a _jounin_ to do something a chunin could do," Shisui sighed. "Seems like they might be hiding something."

"…Indeed," Itachi nodded.

Although he hadn't put together the pieces as quickly as Shisui, he knew there was something strange about the pairing between Karasu and Kakashi. Why did the village send an S-rank shinobi to guard a supposedly average civilian?

"Oh well. No use dwelling on it," said Shisui. "Let's head back home, Itachi."

* * *

Itachi stared at the _Anbu_ mask they'd given him.

Most of them were random, and Shisui had complained all day about ending up with a rooster. Somehow, Itachi ended up with the fox, which might've been an even greater insult, considering the meaning of the animal's caricature as wily and inauthentic.

Something that Itachi would never own up to.

A soft sigh escaped his lips and he placed it on the dinner table alongside the sandwich that Karasu had ordered for him at the restaurant. In one swift motion, he pulled the sandwich out and unraveled it from the foil wrapping.

He ate slowly, the taste of the sandwich sitting on his tongue. It was a pork melt, and it tasted pretty damn good, all things considered. Maybe it was because Itachi was hungry, or maybe it was because he'd spent a good portion of his day sitting through social gatherings, also known as the most exhausting kind of mission for an introvert.

The door slid open, Fugaku stepped through the frame.

"Tou-san," Itachi greeted.

"Itachi."

His father took a seat across from him, crossing his arms over his chest, "How was the inauguration?"

"Fine," Itachi replied simply. "Are you going to Sasuke's graduation tomorrow?"

"…"

"He was really looking forward to it," the younger Uchiha stated stiffly.

"I'm busy," Fugaku replied indifferently.

So he'd make no promises to even attend.

Itachi shifted his apathetic gaze from his father to the wooden table top, masking the complete and utter face of resentment he had. Had it been under different circumstances, Itachi surely would have protested. But this was his father, after all. And he was already treading thin ice with him, so he decided to clamp his mouth shut.

"We have new information regarding the village," Fugaku stated, suddenly.

The turn in conversation didn't peak Itachi's interest. The truth is, he'd already been questioning his own allegiances to his family.

"Seems like there's a pureblood Senju—a direct descendant from Hashirama," Fugaku continued.

Itachi's eyes widened.

So despite his initial misgivings, this managed to at least pique his interest even a little bit.

"According to sources, it's a girl."

* * *

Sasuke's graduation ceremony reminded Itachi of his own, although it was difficult for him to recall the specific details.

The ceremony was, ironically enough, rather _unceremonious_. There was some preaching about the importance of remaining indifferent in the face of strife and conflict, some more preaching about the responsibility of being a shinobi, and of course—some more preaching about their unanimous goal of protecting the village.

Itachi's younger brother seemed triumphant and happy throughout the ceremony, his determined stare unmistakable on stage, even a good distance away.

After the ceremony was over, most of the parents gathered in the courtyard waiting for their kids. Itachi spent this time kicking up some dirt, trying to avert his attention away from the bustle of gossip from the collective group of mothers nearby.

"Itachi-san!"

Karasu manifested from the crowd, pushing past a few burly men. She was holding two bouquets of flowers in her arms. With her free hand, she waved at him, trotting over with a smile on her face.

She waved one of the bouquets in front of him—a collection of white lillies accented with some wild lavenders. When he didn't respond immediately, she placed it into his arms.

"What is…" Itachi started, still dumbfounded.

"I got this for your brother," she said. "I remembered you said you'd be here today."

"I…" Itachi trailed off.

Karasu stared at him curiously, her eyes widening in confusion, "Itachi-san? Are you okay?"

He stared at the bouquet, wondering where this gesture of kindness even stemmed from.

"Well, I have to go," she told him, hugging the remaining bouquet tightly in her arms. "Ino-chan wanted me to give this to her in front of Sasuke-kun. Young love, I suppose. You know how it goes."

"I see," Itachi replied, still stupefied.

Karasu turned to leave, but Itachi placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to halt in place. She looked over at him, raising one eyebrow.

"Thank you," he said. "Karasu-san."

She laughed, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. A look of relief washed over her features and she met Itachi's gaze, "Ah—I'm really glad. Since we've met, you haven't said my name once. I was really beginning to believe you hated me or something."

* * *

 _TBC_


	3. Karasu II

_Chapter 2_ : Karasu II

* * *

 _"Emotions are ugly. Tuck them away, do your job, and clean yourself up_."

 _But what happens when the dam cracks and the water spills out at over a hundred miles an hour?_

 _You can try to stitch up the damage—one crack at a time. Or you can give in and let the waves wash over you. And try your goddamn best to swim against the current._

 _Swim, and pray to_ god _you don't drown_.

* * *

"You're late."

Shisui yawned, rubbing his eyes with clenched fists. He'd never been one for punctuality, and Itachi really shouldn't have been surprised. Being late was practically the most reliable thing about the older Uchiha.

"Sorry," Shisui murmured. "You know how things go—there was this huge sale at the mall today, and I just couldn't pass up the—"

"We don't have a mall," Itachi interjected stiffly.

"Oh?" Shisui scratched his cheek, shifting his gaze awkwardly to the office door. "That's news to me."

"Somehow I highly doubt that," Itachi replied sardonically.

"If you're going to make excuses, at least put some effort into it," a familiar female voice echoed through the hallway chamber.

Karasu appeared from the corner of the corridor, wearing a casual black yukata tied at the waist with a white onbi. Her bangs were pinned up with a clip and her long dark hair was tied up in a loose bun, strands of hair framing her pale face. After registering her appearance, Itachi bowed slightly as a general greeting, still unsure of where their relationship stood (Were they friends? Was she their employer? Would they be reporting to her? And most of all, could they trust her?).

Shisui pouted, "Not you too, Karasu-chan~ Of all people, I thought you'd be on my side."

"I am!" The girl protested, "Also, Utatane-sama will see you now. Just you alone, Shisui-san."

He sighed, scratching the side of his head, "Wait for me after I'm done?"

She nodded while he opened the door to the office alone.

When the door clicked shut behind him, Karasu spared Itachi a small smile of acknowledgment.

Itachi continued watching her from the corner of his eye discreetly. Karasu seemed simple enough. Her frame was rather petite, and there was something almost fragile about the way she looked.

He frowned, sensing that she seemed to be struggling with the teapot she was carrying in her hands. The weight wobbled from one hand to the other, and he was almost sure she was straining herself physically from the burden of such a simple task.

Instinctively, Karasu cocked her head to the side, "Do I have something on my face, Itachi-san?"

Apparently, he'd spent a little too long observing her. A tinge of pink formed on his cheeks and he looked away, only managing to utter a simple, "No," in response.

"Oh, well. You were staring, so I thought there might've been something there."

The pink tinge on his cheeks darkened immediately into a blush. He never thought she'd be so _damn_ straightforward.

Still, she kept her dark eyes on him curiously. Suddenly, a smile broke out on her face, "Did Sasuke-kun like the flowers?"

After Fugaku decided to skip out on Sasuke's graduation, the younger Uchiha was disappointed, as expected. The flowers Karasu brought managed to brighten up his mood, if only temporarily. For that, Itachi was grateful.

"He did," he finally answered, after a moment of brief contemplation. "Thank you again."

Karasu brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, "You don't have to be so formal with me, Itachi-san."

He arched a brow in confusion.

Apparently, she was more observant than her disposition led him to believe. Itachi had a tendency to compartmentalize his life (one of the habits he picked up since he decided to become a shinobi), and the fact that he couldn't pinpoint which box she belonged in troubled him. He wasn't quite sure how to act around her. Not yet, anyway.

"You always look like you're thinking," she said with an anxious smile. "Just say what's on your mind, okay?"

It took him a moment to digest the fact that she was essentially asking him to open up. It was certainly ironic, considering the line of work he was in.

"And don't worry too much about the whole _shinobi must never show emotion_ thing," Karasu winked. "Personally, I think it's a pretty outdated way of thinking."

"Unfortunately, it's something that could get us killed," Itachi replied dispassionately.

"Maybe," she said, "but I don't think that rule has to apply to real life."

"Being a _shinobi_ is my real life."

Karasu looked flustered, a blush forming on her face, "I'm sure you have a life outside of being a shinobi."

Everyone in his line of work did, but Itachi was one of the few that couldn't really fathom having a "regular" life, whatever the hell that meant. The truth is, being a shinobi came easily to him. Although it wasn't something he particularly enjoyed, he was _good_ at it. He _excelled_ at it. And that wasn't something he was willing to give up so easily.

When he grew older, he could consider the luxury of a regular life. Get married, settle down, and have a few kids. Itachi always imagined having a rowdy household. The thought of it made him smile.

He glanced back at Karasu, who seemed to be struggling with the teapot in her hand. Itachi reached a hand out, "Do you need-?"

The doors opened suddenly to reveal Shisui. He stifled a yawn, gesturing for Itachi to come in, "Utatane-sama is asking for you."

Itachi lowered his hand, taking back the offer to help her out.

Karasu beamed and they walked through the doorway, one right after the other. She poured some tea into the elder's empty teacup and took her place at the corner of the room while Itachi and Shisui stopped right in front of the panel desk. Today, they'd only be meeting Utatane Koharu.

The seats reserved for the Hokage and Danzo were, unsurprisingly, empty.

"Shisui. Itachi. Your next mission."

Koharu shifted the manila envelope sitting on the panel desk forward. There was some awkward tension sitting in the air before Shisui walked forward to retrieve the document.

Itachi wondered what the elder wanted to talk to Shisui about earlier on.

 _Clunk_.

Itachi shifted his gaze to the floor, where he found the remnants of the teapot Karasu was holding earlier.

From what he quickly surmised, she must've dropped it onto the ground, which probably explained the broken fragments that'd spilled everywhere. Then, he averted his stare to her face, which was turning a dark shade of scarlet. In the back of his mind, he relayed a short _I told you so_ , somehow knowing something like this was going to happen.

"Oh no," she uttered, quickly bending down to her knees to pick up the broken pieces.

Itachi meant to open his mouth to protest, but the first bit of blood spilled onto the ground, as a particularly sharp shard pricked her fingers.

Utatane Koharu clicked her tongue distastefully, sparing a glance to the young girl, who was still scrambling to pick up the broken pieces. Then, the elder moved her gaze back to Itachi.

Shisui walked forward, bending down in front of the young girl.

Without hesitation, he removed the blue cloth banding wrapped around his waist, transferring the broken pieces to them meticulously. The cloth was part of the Uchiha brand—an insignia of a red and white fan etched onto the back. Itachi frowned, slightly disturbed that his cousin had decided to give away the banding so carelessly.

"Thank you," Karasu said gratefully, as Shisui handed her the broken pieces wrapped in the cloth bag.

With a slight bow, she whispered an apology to Utatane Koharu, who stared at her with disdain. Then, she departed the room in silence.

"She's rather clumsy," the elder stated, once the door clicked shut.

"At least it's one of her charms," Shisui interjected without missing a beat.

Quickly, Itachi stamped his foot down on Shisui's left foot. His elder cousin turned slightly red in the face, stifling a grunt of irritation. He shot Itachi a glare that probably could've killed a man.

"We'll need you to keep an eye out on your clan," Koharu stated. "We have intel to believe that coup may come quicker than expected."

 _So that's what she called Shisui in earlier for_ , Itachi thought silently to himself. _He must've told her about the clan meeting_.

* * *

After receiving their a more thorough explanation of what their mission would entail, Shisui convinced Itachi to spar with him by the Hanako Riverside.

He'd mentioned being out of shape (which Itachi highly doubted), wanting to improve his mechanics (something else Itachi also doubted), and practicing a few jutsus he'd done some reading on (Itachi doubted—nope, he _knew_ this one was definitely a lie).

The first two rounds went in Itachi's favor. Shisui had a tendency of being rather predictable, especially when he was distracted.

" _Oi! Fancy meeting you two here_."

…and as fate would have it, Shisui got distracted.

Itachi's fist met Shisui's jaw and a bit of blood spilled into the air. The latter fell onto the grass with a thump, wiping away the coppery substance away from the corner of his lips.

Karasu appeared from the distance. She ran towards the older Uchiha, concern wavering in her eyes, "Shisui-san! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Nothing's hurt except my pride. I always look so uncool in front of you, Karasu-chan," he stated with a mock sigh. "Anyway, how's your hand feeling?"

Instinctively, she glanced down at her bandaged finger, "Oh, it's was just a small cut. Should be fine. Thanks for helping me out earlier."

"Where are you headed right now?" He asked.

"Off to school. I'm running late," she stuck out her tongue, motioning to the briefcase she was holding in one hand.

 _At least they have tardiness in common,_ Itachi thought to himself.

"Where's Kakashi-san?" Shisui asked nonchalantly.

"He usually doesn't escort me around until later in the day," Karasu admitted sheepishly. "He's really busy, so I don't like to bother him too much."

Then, she shifted her gaze to the reflection of the kunai stuck in the ground. Itachi caught her gaze; something about weapon made her hesitate, but she managed to shake it off and turn back to the duo with a smile, "Anyway, I'll be on my way. Have fun sparring. Try not to hurt each other!"

With that, she turned around and walked off.

"It'd be best if you didn't fool around so much, Shisui," Itachi stated calmly.

* * *

In the later rounds, Itachi began to lose footing.

Stamina had never been his strength, and he was usually better at hiding his own weakness against his opponents. All of them except Shisui. Despite Itachi's misgivings, Shisui knew and understood the most intimate aspects of his life—including the things that made him tick, and the weaknesses that could cost his life.

"How's that? I've got more wins than you now," Shisui stated with a smile while gesturing to himself with his thumb.

Itachi grunted, attempting to even out his breathing while kneeling on the ground, "I guess I lose." Deactivating his sharingan, his eyes faded from red to black.

"Well, if you hadn't been so lost in thought, then this might've ended differently," Shisui stated airily.

"I really don't think you should be talking," Itachi stated, "considering how enamored you are with that _girl_."

Shisui blinked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you should be more wary of outsiders," Itachi's said stiffly, eyes half-lidded. "We're not here to waste time and make friends."

Shisui paused before sending a fist through the air.

Without much effort, Itachi managed to catch the punch, arching an eyebrow in confusion at Shisui's sudden outburst.

"Why do you have to be so uptight?" Shisui snapped.

Shisui grabbed Itachi by the wrist, twisting his arm behind his back, "Just because you don't want to make friends—doesn't mean I have to do the same!"

Shisui turned, aiming a kick at Itachi's chest, which he barely managed to catch in time before he was interrupted by a strike to his gut. Itachi keeled over, skidding backwards, causing a wall of dust to fly up into the air.

Shisui might've been easier to defeat, but his perseverance always increased by miles, surprising Itachi almost every damn time. It made things difficult, since Itachi's stamina would never be up to par. And even when he did find an opportunity to retaliate, Shisui would come back twice as strong. It was really the only reason why he avoided pissing off his elder cousin.

"She's not just another game for one of your mindless flirtations," Itachi replied, standing up slowly from where he'd fallen. "She's happens to work for your employer."

"Karasu-chan isn't just a game to me," said Shisui.

Arching a brow in confusion, Itachi asked, "Don't tell me you've become attached to her already."

"It's not like that," his elder cousin replied, shaking his head.

Itachi frowned, "Then what is this about, exactly?"

A pause of silence filled the air. A breeze swept through, causing some dust to crop up once again. But Itachi didn't remove his gaze from his elder cousin, trying to gauge some kind of reaction. Between the two Uchiha, Shisui had a tendency to wear his heart more often on his sleeve.

"She's important to the village," said Shisui softly, shifting his gaze to the Hanako River.

The fact that Shisui was being all vague and mysterious meant there was a part of him that refused to trust Itachi. The younger Uchiha _knew_ this, and the realization made him clench his fists in irritation.

After all they'd been through, Shisui was still carrying some unknown burden alone.

" _There you are, nii-san! I've been looking practically everywhere for you_!"

From the distance, Sasuke ran over, unable to mask the big smile on his face. When the younger Uchiha noticed Shisui, he shifted his gaze, "Oh, sorry. Did I interrupt your training session?"

Despite the earlier tension, Shisui managed to put on a smile for show, "Yo, Sasuke. It's cool. No worries."

"Sasuke, what're you doing out here?" Itachi asked, narrowing his eyes at his younger brother.

It was getting late, and there was no reason why he should be out alone. More importantly, he'd interrupted a rather important conversation.

But the younger Uchiha disregarded his elder brother, looking towards Shisui with an expectant stare, "What were you two talking about? C'mon—tell me! I want to know."

Itachi smiled weakly, "Grown-up stuff. You wouldn't find it interesting."

Sasuke frowned, "Aw…that's not fair. I'm not part of the group now?"

With two fingers, Itachi poked his younger brother in the forehead, "Gomen, Sasuke. Maybe next time."

The younger Uchiha covered his forehead and pouted, "You always say that, nii-san. And there's _almost_ _never_ a next time."

* * *

Itachi and Shisui never brought up the argument again. Even after walking home together to the Uchiha compound, both seemed to silently concede defeat, bidding farewell to one another with courteous smiles. Still, Itachi knew that belied an uncertain sense of security.

Shisui was hiding something; that much was certain.

Sasuke and Itachi watched the sun set until they were called in for dinner. For the most part, the family chatted about Sasuke's new chapter at Ninja Academy and what that would entail. Kaa-san looked on with a soft smile, and Sasuke gestured eagerly, unable to stop talking about the new jutsus he'd show off to his academy friends.

"And I'll have a leg up on the others," he said excitedly, "thanks to you and Shisui!"

"I expect full reports when you return from your mission," Fugaku stated suddenly, interjecting Sasuke's stream of thought. "You _and_ Shisui—"

"What kind of jutsus do you want to learn before your first day?" Itachi asked, completely disregarding his father's orders. At least for the time being. It wasn't a conversation he wanted to have at the dinner table, and it certainly wasn't a conversation he wanted to have in front of his younger brother.

Almost hesitantly, Sasuke opened his mouth to respond, "I-I was hoping you'd show me _Gokakyu no Jutsu_ , nii-san."

The younger Uchiha continued boasting, a faint blush forming on his cheeks. It was rare for Sasuke to sit at the center of attention at the dinner table, but when it did happen, he lapped up the attention eagerly. It was one of the rare instances that managed to make Itachi feel genuinely at peace.

* * *

By the time dinner was over, Sasuke was asked to excuse himself, while Fugaku and Itachi remained at the dining table.

"Has Shisui been influencing you?" Fugaku asked plainly, straight to the point.

"What do you mean, Tou-san?" Itachi responded nonchalantly, even though he knew exactly what his father meant.

"Why have you been missing our meetings?"

"I'm busy," Itachi replied noncommittally, "with the _Anbu_."

A pause.

"We have new information," Fugaku stated, "about the pureblood Senju."

After all this time, the Uchiha clan was still unable to severe their past with the Senju Clan. Even after all these years, there was still ill will and hatred. Itachi could understand it, and the fact alone probably contributed to his wariness to outsiders—but he'd never participate in it willingly.

After all, he was the kind of boy who preferred peace over conflict.

"We have a name," Fugaku continued.

A pause.

"It's Karasu."


End file.
